Listen to Motoki
by Mg
Summary: [Complete] The summer before Mamoru goes off to college in America, after Usagi defeated galaxia, both Usagi and Mamoru decided to spend some quality time out of town alone...for a whole week.


Listen to Motoki

By Millenium Guard

She pouted.

She whined.

She threw a fit.

But there was no argument with this one...

"I'm really sorry Usa...but I really need to work on my thesis," he told her softly. "I promise...when it's done, my whole world will be dedicated to us, ok?"

"Fine," She responded dejectedly. "I'm...I'm gonna go hang out with the girls then." She bowed her head and burrowed her foot into the carpet at his front door. 

Such a feat would be impossible, especially since her friends were out of town. Telling him that, however, would only make him feel even guiltier than he probably already had. She battled with the idea for a bit before his words broke through her revere.

"Look at me," he commanded, but she refused, her head strong and stubborn. He sighed inwardly, should he really be asking her of this? Just one gaze, he knew, would be like casting a look into the eyes of Medusa, or listening to the Greek Siren's call; he would not be able to turn her away. He relented however and became persistent; he needed to make sure that she would be okay. She had come over unannounced with such a bright and cheery smile; innocent hopes of spending the entire day with him on her heart, and now he had to let her down as easy as possible.

"Usa...look at me," he insisted as he brought his hand to her chin and forced her to see him eye to eye. Even years in stoic training and sleeping on a bed of needles could have never prepared him to gaze into her huge and wet blue orbs as they attempted to look unhurt and somehow courageous. He had almost forgotten why he was letting her down in the first place, but something in the back of his mind pined at him and brought him back to the reality of his thoughts."I know that things have been tough...and I know how you feel...and I want to be near you too." He suspired before speaking of a subject that had been forbidden by pact because of the hurt it caused. "It was hard to watch you battle for your life against Galaxia from the spirit world and not be able to help you" Her eyes grew wide when he spoke the words, she had wanted to interject but he placed a finger to her lips to silence her protests. "...and right now there's nothing more I want to do than to just hold you in my arms and never let go...but, unfortunately the world doesn't see our suffering, and it continues to move on." He ended softly. 

"It could stop for a moment if the two of us ganged up on one certain unsuspecting senshi, " she riposted with a smile, her voice half-serious half-joking; he chuckled at her antics before continuing.

"Usa...I promise you that when I finish, we'll do something real special, ok? And not just one day, but everyday...until...until I have to go." He slowly passed his thumb back and forth over her bottom lip.

"'Kay," Her lips puckered lightly, and taking the gesture, he leaned down and captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

"Maybe you could stay for just a little," he began ranting breathlessly as he leaned down to her once again; with one smooth move she stopped him, her palm lightly pressed against his chest.

"No Mamo-chan...I'm going." she smiled softly, "And from the looks of it, I better go and take the temptation with me." He lightly banged his head against the doorframe, his fingers gripping it tightly, before turning his head to look at her once more. 

"That...would probably be the wisest thing." He sighed as she turned her back to him and headed towards the elevator, leaving him wistfully starring at her fleeting form.

His movements were delayed for a few moments as if in a trance; he stayed their a while longer even after she had stepped into the elevator, the door closing behind her, before giving into a sudden compulsion. He raced into the apartment towards his balcony and peered over the ledge; at that same moment she looked up at him. 

She placed the palm of her hand to her lips and blew him a kiss. 

He made a great act of trying to catch it in the wind, extending his body over the ledge before a gush of wind supposedly blew it his way so that it would land in the palm of his hand. From below he saw her shake her head bemusedly before walking away.

~*~

_In my endeavors to research a topic worthy of discussion_

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_In this day and age one may find that the _

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_When studying the change in behavior of today's _

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_When studying the change in behavior of the young adults today, I have come to the conclusion that_

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_After some careful analytical study of _

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_With careful research I have embarked upon a new phenomenon that will prove that I was an idiot for letting more girlfriend go._

_ _

He sank into his couch, his eyes blankly staring at the sentence on the screen of his laptop before he arose and walked to the bathroom. The silence in his place was almost unnerving; he turned on the faucet and splashed cool water on his face before looking at his haggard appearance.

"You're an idiot for letting her go Mamoru." The reflected image mocked. His fingers gripped the edges of the sink as he stared it face to face, trying to figure out if he was seeing things or not; he watched in awe as it slowly changed into the form of his older self, the neo-king. "You and I both know what you are really trying to avoid by not being with her."

"Did I hit my head again?" Mamoru inquired more to himself than to the image.

"No...and this is not a dream either." The neo-king quickly added. 

Mamoru arched his brow in disbelief.

"I promise you that this is not a dream." He continued exasperatedly before bringing his fist up to his lips to clear his throat. "And it will not end with me telling you to stay away from her."

"So the reason for your appearance is...?" Mamoru attempted to lift his hand in the air nonchalantly and found that it was stuck to the sink. "Hey, you purple punk!"

"A necessary precaution...I know you Mamoru, and unless I do this you won't stay behind to listen to me."

"You little bast-"

"Temper, temper..." He scolded lightly. "If my son had a mouth as fowl as yours I would-"

"Your what?" He croaked.

"Okay Pluto, erase those last few seconds for me...I knew you would come in handy." He called out. Before Mamoru could question him, he felt like he was being sucked backwards by some powerful force.

5 seconds earlier...

"You little bast-"

"Temper, temper..." He scolded lightly, choosing his words more carefully this time..

"You can talk all you want, but I don't have to listen this time you know."

"I was prepared for this," His future self sighed. "Which is why I have come up with a proposition for you." He began. "You listen to me, and in return I answer any question you wish within reason....deal?" Mamoru thought a moment before answering.

"Fine, deal." He relented. "What do you want to say?"

"Listen to Motoki." 

"Excuse me?"

"Listen to-"

"I heard you the first time." Mamoru replied irritatingly. "So you mean to tell me that you appear in my bathroom mirror, freak me out, glue me to my sink, just so that you could tell me to listen to Motoki???"

"That about sums it up."

"Do I have to turn into you?" Mamoru asked cynically.

"Hey!" The king replied in an insulted manor. "For your information, I know you quite well and I know that if I didn't say this..." He stopped short of telling him too much. "Just for that, I will not answer your question." He suddenly changed the subject, his voice booming as his image began to fade away. 

"Wait!" Mamoru called out. "I'm sorry"

"Apology excepted."

"Now, before I ask you one question...I gotta know; how are you doing this exactly?"****

"Michiru's mirror of course." The king smiled. 

"Should have known." He sighed. "OK, just answer me one thing."

"Okay...shoot."

"Purple hair?" Mamoru arched his brow with a lopsided grin.

"It's lavender."

"It's gay."

"I'll have you know that Serenity thinks our hair is very sexy!"

"Yeah, and I'll have you know that I wouldn't let Usagi change our hair color to purple-"

"Lavender"

"Purple, lavender, lavender, purple...what's the diff, you're still a wuss."

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Oh yeah?" The king began cynically, a smile Mamoru knew all to well; it meant that he had an ace up his sleeve. "Well at least I'm getting some, VIRGIN!"

"Why you little miscreant, I otta-" Mamoru attempted to raise his fist to slam it against the mirror and muttered a curse when he remembered it was still stuck to the sink.

"Please...don't insult me, you know I'm stronger than you." He chuckled nonchalantly.

"Why you...you...you purple haired freak!"

"I will not sink to your level...hey get it? 'Sink' to your level?" Mamoru was not amused; however, he smiled with an all-knowing smile. There was only one way he knew how to really get himself upset; he would have to take lessons from Usagi.

"Purple haired freak" He taunted.

"I refuse to do this."

"Purple haired freak"

"Stop that!"

"Purpl..."

"For your information, you mind scrambled immature adolescent, Serenity is not the only one who goes through changes!"

"Wait a minute, are you saying that I'm gonna have purple hair?!!" 

"Do I have to spell out everything for you? I mean, it took you long enough to figure out that Chibi-Usa was your kid and all! And my word, how could you possibly miss it? She looks just like Usa and she acts like you are now!" The king sighed. "I feel as if I talking to Endy...Damnit...erase last two seconds."

"What the hell?"

Two seconds earlier...

"I feel as if I talking to a child." The king sighed.

"Just answer the question." Mamoru combated exasperatingly.

"For goodness sakes, the answer is yes!"

***

Birds were chirping in the trees, frolicking and flying about. The wind blew silently and gently, whistling where it may. The sounds of splashing water and children's laughter echoed from below as they flew their kites and sailed their boats.

All peace was shattered however in moments, with the shrill of one voice.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

***

"When? When will I get purple hair???"

"Farewell Mamoru." He snickered, exuberant about the fact that he had the last laugh.

"No wait! Come back!"

"Kids." Were the last words he heard the neo-king say before the image disappeared to be replaced by his own. He sighed before coming to one conclusion, he had to go see Motoki and figure out what his future self was speaking of.

~*~

"A milkshake for your thoughts?" Motoki asked as Usagi sat on one of the stools in front of the area he was currently wiping.

"Sure," she replied sadly.

"This sounds serious," He made her the drink then slid it in front of her. "Wanna talk about it?"

"I miss my muffin," she whined as she pushed the drink away, crossed her arms in front of her, and dropped her head atop them.

"It's funny...two years ago I would have thought you insane for saying such a thing," He chuckled. "And now he's your boyfriend, who would have thought?"

"You're going to have to do better than that to cheer me up Motoki," she retorted as she lifted her head to face him.

"Sorry," he replied. "So what's goin' on, you two are alright right?"

"Yeah...but he's so busy with school...and we haven't shared a moment alone since..." She was about to say ever since she defeated Galaxia, but caught herself just in time. "Well...for a couple of weeks now."

"Oh...I see, well...I don't know what to tell you...perhaps you could find something else to occupy your time?" He paused. "I mean...where are the girls, you could go out with them."

"I would...but I turned down a spring outing that we had planned at some beach house far away so that I could be with him."

"Oh yeah, the spring get-away," He replied with sudden dawning, he remembered Minako telling him something about it. Truth be told, they had been so busy making out that he hadn't really been paying attention. So that's why Minako still hadn't shown up. He snapped out of his stupor and looked back to Usagi. "Well, maybe you could just go to the beach house since Mamoru's busy?"

"I would...but I don't know where it is...Minako was in charge of picking the place." She paused. "And besides...what if Mamo-chan finishes his thesis...I really want to be around so that I can spend some time with him."

"Oh..." He paused. "Did you want to go out with the girls?"

"Yeah...of course, who wouldn't?" she began. "A beautiful isolated beach and a nice beach house with no parents to tell us what to do. Plus, it was a good chance for us to hang out with each other and bond...since we haven't done that in a long while..." Her voice faded out in the end.

"Did you tell Mamoru that?"

"Well...I didn't want him to feel guilty, besides...as much as I want to spend time with the girls..." She paused. "Muffin's the one who's gonna leave me in the fall...I guess..." She paused as tears began to fill her eyes. "I guess I wanted to spend as much time with him as possible." She sobbed as she dropped her head to her arms once more.

"Don't cry Usagi...I'm pretty sure that he doesn't mean to be so absentminded...hey, sometimes he can even be a jerk but..."

"It's not like that at all, he wants me to stay as well." she interrupted him. "And don't call him a jerk, that term is reserved only for 'my' use!" 

"Hey, I'm his best friend...which entitles me to all the name calling that I wish to bestow on my pig-headed confidant," he retorted, finally seeing an angle that he could use to cheer her up.

"But I'm the girlfriend...so I reign supreme in all cases and get to tell the best friend what to do because the man always believes the girlfriend!" she pointed out.

"Oh yeah...well I've known him longer!"Motoki cried in triumph.

"OH please, don't make me laugh," she began haughtily. "I've known him for..." She caught herself again, the words 'a thousand years' left unsaid, and then decided that perhaps she should let him win this one. "You're right...you've known him longer...but still...there's a lot I can do for him that you can't!" She cooed.

"Oh yeah?" He challenged. "Can you give him advice about his girlfriend?"

"Can you kiss him good night?" she countered.

"Can you sit with him and grunt and holler as you watch football on the couch?" 

"I can do that and make out with him on the couch at the same time!"

"You're very good at this." His eyes narrowed on her playfully.

"Why else do you think my Muffin's a fallen man?" She stared him down in equal measure.

And that's how Mamoru found them...it was as if a war of great skill had commenced between.

The staring contest.

Didn't his friend know whom he was playing against? He couldn't remember the last time that he won a starring contest against Usagi. He really wanted to see who would win this one, but unfortunately he had some business to attend to.

"Ahem," he interrupted, causing Usagi to jump and turn to him.

"I win! I win!" Motoki pronounced happily.

"Hi muffin." She smiled softly. "Finished?" She asked in anticipation.

"Not quite," 

"Oh." She sighed.

"Want a milkshake my man, to help me celebrate my victory?" Before Mamoru could reply, Usagi slipped up on her tiptoes and kissed him passionately, leaving him slightly short-winded. 

"Let's go to our favorite booth so that we can...'talk'." She whispered into his ear, sending shivers down his spine.

"Actually...I need to-to...Usagi," he managed to stutter as he looked to Motoki for a moment, forgetting his previous engagement with him.

In that brief moment Usagi winked at Motoki and smiled a victorious smile before Mamoru turned back toward her again. Motoki raised the wet white rag above his head to Usagi before she whispered to Mamoru once more, giving him her full attention.

"Go ahead and get us something to eat silly," she began playfully. "Just don't take too long." Her lips huskily breathed the words before walking away from him to their booth, hips swaying suggestively. Motoki shook his head slowly from side to side with a knowing smile as Mamoru titled his head sideways and stared for a long while in her direction. His eyes followed the pattern of her swaying hips, before turning his full attention to his friend.

"Man...you are so whipped," Motoki quipped as he put the rag away.

"I am not."

"When a man chooses his girl friend over his best friend, it's whip cream-whipped man," Motoki replied. "Especially when the best friend's me." He smiled. "I'm as good a friend as they come." 

"If I'm not mistaken...I am not the one who was going to change their major and go to Africa just so that they could be with their girlfriend when they don't even like insects," Mamoru challenged.

"OK, OK." Motoki sighed, raising his hands in defeat. "What'll it be?"

"The usual."

"One triple hot fudge sundae with two spoons comin' right up." Motoki replied with a smile as he began to make their dessert. It was quiet for a moment before Motoki spoke once more. "What's goin' on with you two Mamoru?" he asked softly, attempting not to pry.

"You don't waste any time, do ya?" was Mamoru's response, the words of the neo-king suddenly filtered through his head. _Listen to Motoki._

"Never have, never will. I learned my lesson long ago...wasting time when it comes to you two is futile."

"Excuse me?" Mamoru arched his brow at his friend.

"Well, look at how long it took you two to get together?" Motoki began. "Now, if I had merely told you two idiots that you were in love with each other and made you sit down and make up...think of the time we could have saved." He ended with a smile.

"You are hopeless Motoki." Mamoru shook his head.

"Anyway...what's goin' on...you guys don't seem...I don't know, close as you used to," 

"Is it that obvious?"

"Oh please...Juban's hottest couple, and when I say hot I don't mean looks...and if you see one, the other is not far behind?"

"People do not say that about us."

"Now you see how up in the clouds you are, you don't even know what's going on around you." He chuckled. "But seriously, when did this whole things start?"

"Ever since..." The words 'that thing with Galaxia' were left unsaid as

Mamoru fought for different words. "Since I have been given this deadline for my thesis...I haven't had time for anything...and I know if I don't complete it and set it aside, the whole time I'm with her it'll be on my mind."

"Not that I'm trying to pry or anything."

"Of course not," Mamoru replied sardonically.

"But you really need to pay attention to your girlfriend. I'm pretty sure that she doesn't want me to tell you this...but did you know that she turned down a trip that Minako and the others had been planning to some beach house for the slim chance that she would get to spend some quality time with you before you go to Harvard for med. school?"

"How do you know I'll even get in to Harvard?"

"You're missing the point here," Motoki said in agitation.

"No I'm not...I could go to John Hopkins, or UM, or..." Mamoru stopped his light banter when his friend gave him an unnerving look...if looks could kill. "I know...I know...just trying to make the best of a dead end situation Motoki." Mamoru sighed in defeat. "I want to spend time with her, without anyone or anything on my mind but her...but I can't help it." He paused. "I can't help but think about that d*mned thesis...and everything around here seems to remind me that I should be doing it." Mamoru was startled when Motoki slammed his fist on the counter before speaking once more.

"Kami-sama you baka boy!" Motoki yanked Mamoru by the collar pulling him slightly over the counter. "Now you look at me!" He said in a stern tone of voice, causing Mamoru to gulp. "No...forget that...look at her." Mamoru turned his gaze to Usagi who was keeping herself occupied by reading a manga off the manga rack, her eyes alight with laughter as she flipped the pages. "Now, as much as I see Usagi as a little sister, even I have to come to terms with those long creamy legs and shimmering golden hair, dark and long curly eye lashes, brilliantly blue sparkling eyes, and smooth curves in all the right places." He paused. "Somehow you have mistakenly come to the conclusion that you are good enough for her. Wake up damnit! You're not! You are d*mned lucky to have such a beautiful girlfriend... just as I am lucky to have Minako...so do you know what you're going to do?" Motoki asked in a threatening voice.

"N-no." Mamoru gulped as he stared at his friend.

"You are going to take her far, far, far away from here where everything is not familiar and new and you are going to spend THE REST OF THE WEEK with her do you understand me?" Motoki commanded as he let go of Mamoru's collar, watching as his friend cowered behind the counter.

"W-what about my thesis?" Mamoru asked bravely above a whisper.

"You BAKA!" Motoki hovered over Mamoru's shrunken form. "You're a freaking genius! You and I both know that you will get that thesis done when you get back and that you will be able to go to any school that you wish!" He paused. "What you need, is something to take your mind off things...Now, my uncle has a cabin up North where it's snowing still...you go over there and you invite her up...and I don't even want to find out that you couldn't convince her to go!" Motoki ended as he shoved the sundae and two spoons in Mamoru's hands and shooed him off.

Usagi looked up from her manga to the form of Mamoru placing the sundae on the table between them.

"What took you so long?"

"We need to talk."

~*~

"I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe this is happening," Usagi continuously repeated in her head over and over as she rocked back in forth on her bed. Mamoru wanted to spend the week, with her alone, in some isolated cabin up north.

Alone.

What would happen? Would things change between them? If she said no, he would think she didn't trust him. If she said yes and went along with this...she wasn't sure she could trust herself. Mamoru and her had never been that alone before; there was always something, an interruption. But this time, there wouldn't be anything...no one to stop anything from happening but themselves.

And that was a world she knew that they had never ventured upon in their relationship, a moment when only they could stop their actions and not some stupid youma.

But that was the least of her problems; how in the world do you get your parents to allow you to go off for a whole week when they knew fully well that the only person still in town that you could leave with was your boyfriend?

What to do. What to do.

Well, in moments like these, there was only one thing you could do.

Lie.

"So I managed to find out where the beach house was and I'm going to take a bus there," She finished.

"But I thought you were going to spend spring break with that nice young man Mamoru?" her mother asked from where she stood fixing food in the kitchen.

"Yeah...but he has to do his thesis so I might as well go spend some time with the girls," Usagi said dejectedly.

"So you won't be spending time with that ingra-nice fellow?" her father asked almost pleadingly.

"Why is it that you seem all too pleased?"Usagi asked. 

"Of course I'm...not pleased baby, I want you to be happy," he replied as he folded his paper and placed it on the table where he sat.

If he only knew the truth.

"Now I want you to have a good time with those girls at the beach and if you want I'll drive-"

"No!" she almost said too quickly, interrupting him. "I mean, no...Mamo-c-Mamoru's going to drive me over to the bus station." She replied softly. "I'm going to go pack." She ended quickly as she walked upstairs. __

_ _

_The Least amount of time she had to spend looking him the face, the better._

~*~

"Tube socks?"

"Check."

"Towels?"

"Check."

"Boxers?"

"Check."

"Toothbrush and paste?"

"Check."

"Comb and brush?"

"Check."

"Sweaters?"

"Check."

"Skates?"

"Check."

"Cologne"

"Check."

"Box of condoms."

"Che-hey!" Mamoru scowled at his friend.

"You're spending the rest of the week alone with your girlfriend whom you love very much and let me remind you, have not spent an intimate moment with in a long time." Motoki paused. "Surely you have thought of the consequences, ramifications, and a...possibilities?" He finished with an upraised brow.

"We already talked about this and came to an agreement, we're going to wait Motoki...so I'm not bringing any condoms," He replied sternly to his friend.

"And what if something does happen, and you don't have a condom?"

"Having a condom just gives you an excuse for something to happen and to be reckless."

"You're a good man Mamoru."

"Yeah...I sure hope so."

"Ah-hah!" Motoki replied triumphantly. "So you aren't totally secure about your situation with Usagi!"

"Shut-up Motoki."

~*~

"What do you think?"Mamoru asked her softly as they stood in the living room of the cabin.

"I think it's...cozy," Usagi replied as she took a look around. In her eyes, it looked like a setting straight out of a romance novel. There was a fireplace on the far wall with a poker and several other utensils to start it up. Above the fireplace, on the mantle, there were books lined up neatly in a row, on the hardwood floor before it there was a soft plush Cardigan rug. A little ways away from the fireplace there was a soft and plush white couch with a throw rug and several fluffy pillows to match. To their right there was a kitchen decked out with a gas stove, refrigerator, oven, and a table in the center with a vase of roses on top. Seeing the red roses in full bloom Usagi turned to her boyfriend and arched her brow.

"I couldn't help myself...I needed something to make this feel more like

home." He smiled. "Look, you get settled in, and put the groceries

away and I'll get some wood for the fire okay?"

"'Kay." She replied softly.

Thirty minutes later there was a working fire, some hot chocolate on

the stove, and a couple on the couch locked in a passionate embrace.

"So...what do you wanna do first?" he asked her in between kisses.

"Mmmm," she murmured as her lips caught on to the lobe of his ear

and began to nibble. "How 'bout skating?"

"That should be fun, "He replied as his lips sought out her neck and

began to suckle. "We haven't skated...alone in a while."

"Mmmhmm." She giggled. "But first...what's that smell?" She stopped

mid-sentence to sniff the odious smell that began to drift into

the living room.

"I don't know." He had not really paying attention.

"Oh No!" she exclaimed as she jumped from the couch, his body falling

to the floor thereafter as she ran into the kitchen. "The hot chocolate

dried up." She pouted as she walked back into the living room, pot in

hand, and showed him the charred mess.

"OH NO! Your old cooking skills have come to haunt me full

force...and in the middle of nowhere!" His hands pulled on his hair as he walked around the living room like a raving lunatic. Truth be told, over the years Usagi's cooking skills had improved verily; everything she made was now clearly edible. However, that didn't stop her from hurtling a pillow his way.

"Har har," She replied. "I'm going to go rinse this out...you go get

dressed to go skating mister...and you'd better be finished by the time

I'm done."

"Yes mommy." He wore a sardonic grin as he walked towards the bedroom.

"And don't you forget it," She quipped as she walked back in the

kitchen with a giggle.

A few minutes later, shock filtered through her as she felt warm arms

encircle her from behind and lift her up.

"Mamo-chan!"she squealed. "Put me down this instant!" She finished in

a more regal tone.

"Wow Usa...for a minute there..." He paused as he placed her back down

on the ground in front of him. "...I would have mistaken you for a

princess."

"Aren't we just full of jokes today? " She commented as she turned to

look at him. "I'll let that one slide...for now," she said with a

look of content.

"Thank-you my liege," He replied, only to get another look of contempt

from her. "So...how do I look?" He paused. "Do I pass the inspection?"

he finished smugly with a quirk of his brow.

"I don't know...profile for me...let me check you out," She answered 

with equal mirth as he began to turn his body for her like a model

would, and then began making the gestures of a man who was showing off

his muscular body.

She could barely suppress a giggle.

"Definitely...ugly," she replied with a serious tone. "I don't like

it...go change," She looked up at his dejected for with a straight face. 

"You're kidding right?" he asked solemnly.

"Of course not...I mean look at you," she began as she circled him,

her hands passing lightly over him as an inspector would. "That 'ugly'

brown Ralph Lauren sweater." She paused, placing emphasis on the word

'ugly' in such a way that it sounded almost seductive. "And then there's

those black polo pants that fit you a little too snuggly..." She continued as she stopped behind him and placed her arms around him and on his chest.

He closed his eyes.

"And where'd you get that scarf?" she continued softly from where her

cheek lay against his back. "I can't tell where your

silky...black...hair...ends...and where it begins." She paused huskily.

"And those gloves...did I ever tell you how much I adore a man in black

leather?"

"I thought you were telling me how ugly I look?" he asked darkly, his eyes still shut.

"I am."

"Continue," he added meekly as he felt her hands slide up to his shoulder and pull his back against her to mold into her body.

"The ensemble together...well...it's just...too...darn...ugly," she

replied as she released him and walked away. He barely let out a groan

as he felt her presence leave him before he opened his eyes and turned

to see her retreating form.

"Why you little---" he muttered as he went after her just to get the

door slammed in his face. His hands immediately went for the knob just

to see that the door was locked. "I guess I deserved that." He called

out to her.

"Yup!" she exclaimed from the other side. "You know...I find it's so

much easier to make fun of you now that you're my boyfriend."

"Gee, thanks," he replied sarcastically as he leaned against the

door.

"Hey, don'tactso innocent mister!" she called out. "You know that

you do it too! In fact, you've already done it twice since we've been

here!"

"So we're keeping score now?" he yelledback.

"Yup...and we're still not even!"

"Who says I'm gonna let you catch up?"

"Not just catch up...but surpass!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!" She opened the door, causing his body to fall to the floor

and his head to hit the ground with a thud. "Now...we're even." She

smiled as she knelt over his still form.

Silence.

"Let's go skating Mamo-chan," she continued as she nudged him with

her gloved hand.

He didn't move.

"Uh...Mamo-chan?"she asked. "Stop playing...it isn't funny

anymore." She pouted. "Mamo-chan?" She nudged him harder.

No movement.

"Oh Mamo-chan!" she exclaimed as she threw herself over his still

body, tears threatening to escape. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" She repeateduntil she heard him groan.

"Ugh," Hegroanedas he looked up into her eyes, his hand reaching

to rub the back of his head.

"Oh Mamo-chan!" she exclaimed as she held him in the death grip. "I

thought I'd lost you!"

"Gosh you're pretty," he said as he looked goofily upon her and the

way in which her white woolen winter hat framed her head, golden curls

escaping from the side and all the way down her back and over

her shoulders. It was at that moment that he began to assess her clothing; did she ever look sexy in that white puffy fleece that went down to her waist, covering the snug cream cotton turtleneck beneath it.

Enormous blue eyes looked down on him in wonder.

A lonely tear threatened to escape.

It finally cascaded down her cheek softly.

"Don't cry," He brought his thumb to her face and wiped the tear away. The room was silent as they continued looking at each other before he spoke. "By the way...who's Mamo-chan, and where am I?"

"I should have known," she replied contemptibly as she jerked away

from him and stood up to her full height, her arms crossing over her chest.

Mamoru, however, did not share her feelings.

He was rolling on the floor in merriment, barely able to contain himself

as he held his stomach from laughing so hard.

"That was really low," She fumed as she walked away from him.

"Oh come on Usako," he replied as he stood, tears threatening to

fall from his eyes because he was laughing so hard. "You deserved it!"

He paused. "If there's anyone that should be offended it's me!"

"And how's that?" she asked a she turned to him, hands on her hips.

"I've taken much worse than that in Negaverse fights...you must really

think me weak to keel over from just a bump on the back of my head." He

smiled triumphantly as he crossed his arms in defiance.

"Well, for your information Mister smart doctor type person," she

began. "I learned that if you fall to the ground at just the right point, you can damage the connection between your medulla oblongata and your spinal cord! So excuse me for thinking you may have become paralyzed from the neck down!" 

"Wow," he replied, slightly astonished. "Very impressive...where'd

you learn that from?"

"That's how the American superman ended up in a wheelchair...which means

no one is exempt."

"It figures," He said with a sardonic grin.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" she challenged.

"It figures that one: you learned that from TV; and two: you actually

think superman is real."

"And why is that so hard to believe?"

"Oh, come on," he commented, his scientific nature getting the best of him. "A man from outerspace on a distant planet, is sent here by his parents when his home was destroyed and is now...saving...the...the world...ok, I see your point."

"If Sailor Venus can make movies, why can't he?" she asked triumphantly as she went to the kitchen and grabbed her cup of cocoa. "Well, let's hurry up and drink this down so that we can go skating!" She finished excitedly.

~*~

"Remember when we used to skate on the moon?"she asked him with a

smile as she lifted her face to the clean crisp air, allowing it to flow

through her hair as they skated on, his arms around her waist, his body

almost behind her.

"Yeah...we were the best," he replied. "Remember our favorite

routine?"

"Yeah...Hey...let's pretend we have a big audience ok. Just like

in the old days...and that we're doing our routine for them."

"That sounds like an interesting prospect." He replied whilst planting a kiss on her neck.

~*~

"I can't believe you dropped me," she replied as he helped her to

the couch so that she could rest her foot.

"I didn't drop you."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't...someone forgot the routine."

"I did not."

"You did too, and before you say more...let me explain," he paused. "Remember a thousand years ago...when we decided to put a new secret tactic in our routine so that it would look like I dropped you, but then you would

spin and end with one leg out?" He asked as he arched his brow at her.

"Oh...oh yeah," She replied with a dawning look on her face. "But you

could have at least warned me!" She pointed her finger at him.

"There's no winning with you," He rolled his eyes and turned to

the kitchen. "I'll go get some ice."

"That's ok, you've done enough," she replied indignantly. "I've got

it."

"That's really cute honey...but I can hardly see you hoping to the

kitchen to get ice for your foot," he scoffed.

"Who said I was gonna hop?"she replied with a hidden smile as she

raised her hand and pulled her crystal out of its cyber space pocket,

just like a magician would pull a flower out of nowhere. He watched on

amazed as she whispered a few choice words in a foreign tongue, before

opening her hand and letting the crystal go. It glowed slightly as it

moved through the air to her ankle, healed it, and then disappeared. 

"You never told me you could do that," he began as he crossed his

hands over his chest.

"I don't have to tell you everything," She said with a regal pose as

she wiggled her toes and moved her feet to make sure they were ok.

"And that tongue, do you know what you were speaking? Better

yet..." He paused. "When did you start speaking it?"

"I don't know...it was while before I realized that I was speaking it

all...I only speak to Luna in that tongue cause she seems to be the

only one who understands and remembers it." She paused. "The two of us

had not realized what we were doing until one day one of the senshi were

there during one of me and Luna's heated arguments and we absentmindedly

switched to Lunarian tongue." She continued. "I didn't think it was

that much of a big deal though---"

"I understood you," he interrupted her.

"Excuse me?" she asked in a shocked manner.

"I thought I was the only one...for a while I thought I was going crazy...Motoki is the one who caught me speaking it unawares." He paused. "But now that you tell me it's the language of the moon...it all makes sense."

"But I don't understand why you understand. No offense."

"None taken..." he replied as he sat down on the couch next to her,

allowing her to seek his embrace. "But I think it has something to do

with the fact that we're soul-mates."

"Oh."

It was silent for a while before he spoke once more.

"I have an idea."He had that look in his eyes.

~*~

She stood silently in front of the warm fire in the shirt of his dark

blue silk pajamas as he moved the couch aside. He then walked over to the CD player and pressed some buttons before walking over to her, adorned in the bottom half of the pajama ensemble.

"Ready to really dance?" He asked with the arch of his brow as the music began to fill the room.

"Why certainly my prince." She smiled as they began to dance to the upbeat rhythm.

'Baby, baby, it looks like it's gonna hail.'

'Baby, baby, it looks like it's gonna hail'

'You betta come inside let me teach ya how to jive an wail'

She giggled as he pulled her to him, one arm around her body, the other firmly grasping her hand. He smiled as he rolled her away from him, his hand still grasping hers before pulling her to him and placing his hands tightly around her waist. She laughed to the sound of the music as he quickly swung her on the left side of his body, in between his legs, and then on the other side of him. The sounds of their combined laughter filled the room as he through her up in the air and caught her by the waist before depositing her on the ground, where they both began to twist to the music. 

'Papa's in icebox lookin for a can of ale'

'Papa's in icebox lookin for a can of ale'

'Mama's in the backyard learnin how to jive and wail'

They clasped hands and continued to jump happily to the beat of the music, swinging around the room in the process. Usagi laughed loudly when Mamoru picked up a broom from the wall and began to maneuver it as if it was a real guitar. She picked up a bottle from the table and followed his lead, maneuvering it as if it were a microphone and mouthing the words.

'A woman is woman and a man ain't nothin but a man'

'A woman is woman and a man ain't nothin but a man'

'One good thing about him, he knows how to jive and wail!"

More laughter filled the air as he dropped the broom and lifted her in the air with one arm, her leg and arm extended out and away from them as he began to spin in place.

'You gotta jump and jivin', then you wail you gotta'

'You gotta jump and jivin', then you wail you gotta'

'You gotta jump and jivin', then you wail you gotta'

'You gotta jump and jivin', then you wail away'

He stopped spinning her and held her close as he slowly deposited her on the ground, her body sliding down his own as the music began to fade away. She smiled in merriment, both caught up in the heat of the music when suddenly the next song began to play. She arched her brow at him as he took the microphone (bottle) from her hand and began to mouth the words.

'Ladies and gentleman, this is mambo numba five' 

He mouthed as he placed his hand out to her in invitation.

'One, two, three, four five, everybody in the car, so come on lets ride to the liqua store round the corner, the boy says he wants some ginit juice but I really don't wanna'

He pulled her to him and then swung her away as he continue to sing, her laughter echoing throughout the room light little bells.

'A little bita Monica in my life'

'A little bita Erica by my side'

'A little bita Rita's all I need'

'A little bita Trina's what I see'

'A little bita Sandra in the sun'

'A little bita Mary all night long'

'A little bita Jessica here I am'

'A little bita you makes me your man'

He paused as he swung her up in the air, on his sides and in between his legs. He deposited her on the floor from whence they began to jump and twist to the words of the music.

When the music began to finally fade away, he deposited her on the floor with finality; both were breathless and sated with happiness as they looked into each other's eyes.

And then a new song began to play...

'Listen'

'Baby, baby, baby'

'What's it gonna be'

His lips descended down to hers.

'Don't make me waste my time'

'Don't make me lose my mind'

They came together in a soul searing kiss, her hands sliding up his chest and blindly guiding themselves to the back of his head. 

'Baby, baby, baby'

'Can't ya stay with me tonight'

'Oh baby, baby, baby'

'Don't my kisses please you right?'

His hand slipped to her lower back, pulling her tightly against them as his lips descended down her neck.

And then suddenly he pushed her way, both winded with the dawning of what almost occurred.

"Go to bed." He suddenly commanded her as he walked away to the CD player and turned off the music. With no questions asked she followed his command and went to the bedroom. 

She lay quietly beneath the thick silk sheets of the four-post bed watching silently as he entered the room, circling it and blowing the light of the candles out. 

She acutely surveyed him as he placed some firewood in the fireplace and started a fire before walking over to her. 

The fire brewed, casting a warm glow on the room, as he lay next to her.

"Mamo-chan wh-"

"Shhhh." He kissed her forehead and reached out an arm to pull the

silk sheets up and around their bodies.

His arm stretched around her body and clasped around her hand tightly,

slipping his fingers through her own.

"Get some sleep," he ended, closing off any further conversation as

they both drifted off into the land of slumber; leaving the previous events to rest.

~*~

When she had awoken the next morning, the spot beside her was empty. 

She arose quietly in wonder when she looked to her side and saw a red rose on the small dresser with a note attached.

'Made you a bubble bath, why don't you indulge it?' it read. She smiled a hidden smile as she walked to the bathroom to see the tub filled with bubbles. Without another thought she divested herself of her clothing and slipped in. She sighed blissfully as she lay back and closed her eyes.

A few moments later she was alarmed by the smell of bacon, eggs, and

French toast. Her eyes flew open to see Mamoru standing at the doorway,

a smoldering look in his eyes, a plate in his hands and a small towel

folded neatly over his forearm.

"H-hi," She stuttered.

"Hmp," He grunted deeply in approval, shaking his head from side to

side. "There's nothing sexier than you in a tub filled with bubbles." 

She was sure her whole body had turned red as he knelt next to the tub.

"Taste this." He said to her as he placed a fork in the eggs and offered

it to her. 

She leaned over the side of the tub, her arms resting on the

edge and her head resting on them as she opened her mouth to take in the

offered bite. She thought it really good and smiled in appreciation.

"It's delicious. Thank-you." She leaned over further to kiss him lightly on the lips.

"You're welcome," He smiled. "Why don't you hurry and get out of that tub...we can sle-eat together." He replied, easily catching his slip.

"I'll be out in a moment," she replied softly.

~*~

After breakfast they had decided to go outside for some snow-filled activities, which of course, ended in another argument.

"Next time...you will not be the one to steer," he said to her as

he rubbed his aching back.

"If it weren't the fact that you leaned over when you did, we wouldn't

have turned over!" she replied quickly in her defense.

"I don't even want to hear it Odango Atama! Just admit it, you couldn't steer a sled if your life depended on it!" He smirked.

"Oh yeah?" she threatened, smiling defiantly and a little ways ahead

of him.

"Yeah."

"Well, for your information, there is something I'm really good at." 

"Oh and what's-" The last words never came out as a snowball hit

him directly in the face. "Why you little..." He never finished as

another snowball hit him on his cheek. "This means war!" he declared

as he ran after her. 

They chased each other around the white grounds before he relented and decided to call it a day.

~*~

"Let's see what we got here...Independence Day...In the Line of Fire...The Matrix...Beauty and the beast." Her eyes flickered. "You could be the beast and I could beauty."

"We are not watching that movie...you watch it every time you come over to my apartment, I don't even know why you brought it here."

"Fine...spoil sport." She muttered as she continued to look through the videos. "Ahah! Bambi!" 

"Please...dear lord...not Bambi." 

"Please." She pouted. 

She whined. 

She was definitely getting her way this time.

"I'll go get the popcorn." He responded dejectedly as he went to the kitchen.

She smiled victoriously as she popped the video in and settled in the couch. When they were finally settled and snuggled against one another, he couldn't help but be assaulted by her redolence. He closed his eyes tightly as he inhaled the essence of peaches in her hair. The aroma of French Vanilla from her skin made his heart flutter; his only assurance of control was that she was so tuned into the movie that she hadn't realized how she had been affecting him.

"Usa?"He whispered when the movie finally ended.

Silence...

"Usa?" He looked over her still form to see that she was sleeping soundly. He sighed deeply before reaching behind him and pulling the throw rug over them both. 

~*~

"Are you sure...I mean...do you think it's wise?"She asked him.

"Hey, if you can't control yourself, and you think-"

"I can't control myself?" she exclaimed haughtily. "As if!" She

paused. "Fine...I'll play...I have nothing to be afraid of in any

matter. And you better not cheat!"

"Who? Me?" he replied in a shocked manner as they sat before the fire.

"Yes, you."

He shuffled the cards.

She had, unwittingly, agreed to play poker with him. However, her

boyfriend was obviously in the playful mood, for he had decided that it

would be cool if they wagered their clothing, not going past undergarments of course, he had added. Of course, he quicklyamended after that, she could go past undergarments if she wished. After all, he continued, it wasn't like he had never seen her naked before as Sailor Moon in transformation.

"Queens are wild and you need to place one chocolate chip cookie in the

middle to start the pot." He handed out the cards. She threw in her cookie silently as she looked at her hand.

"How many?" he asked her.

"Give me two," she riposted softly with a defeated look. He handed her the cards and then traded in one of his own. "I'll start the bidding with one earring." She removed the earring and placed it on the floor.

It was sometime later and they had only succeeded in switching pots. She currently adorned his long sleeve button down blue cotton shirt with it opened in the middle, her silk midnight blue brazier and panties

with gold designs showing through. 

Being that he had her clothing, it was a ridiculous yet hilarious sight to see his face set in determination whilst a pair of creme colored tights were tied around his head like a bandana. She bit lightly on her cookie and chewed as she watched him almost hungrily; it was amazing how sexy he looked with a stocking on his head, and a gold bunny necklace round his neck. It was a while before he finally looked up at her, caught her gaze, and made his decision.

"I bet it all," He replied smugly as he removed the stocking from

his head and pushed everything to the center of the pot. 

** **

**"Hmmm." She queried with a thoughtful look in her eyes. "You play a hard game Chiba...but you know what?" She smiled. "I don't think you have the cards...so I see your pile of clothing." She pushed her pile to the center.**

"You're gonna eat your words Tsukino, your gonna eat your words...I call."

** **

"Show me whatcha got then oh mouth almighty."

"Read em and weep...four aces!" He grinned.

She frowned.

He grinned even wider.

She grumbled.

"Well Tsukino..." He sadistically began as he lay back, his hands folded behind him. "It's time to pay the piper...Take...it...off."

"You aren't serious."

"I am."

"You wouldn't do that to me muffin...would you?" 

She pouted. 

She whined. 

She had won again.

"Jeez, did you have to look like that...oh fine...keep your clothes on." She happily stood, picking up everything around them and starting to clean up the mess. He watched her silently, grunting all the way as he sat up, obviously irritated. "You big baby." He muttered a little too loudly.

"What did you say?" She quickly turned towards him.

"Nothing." He bit his tongue, he wish he hadn't let that comment earlier slip out.

"No...you called me a big baby."

"It slipped out." 

Damn that tongue.

"But you meant it." He was definitely in trouble now.

"Look, I was just being a baka as usual, you know how I am...so just don't let it go to your head, I know how sensitive you can be." 

Damn that tongue!

"Sensitive?" She huffed as she began pacing back and forth. "You think I'm sensitive?"

"Not sensitive good...sensitive bad...I mean, the other way around-"

"I'll show you!" She exclaimed as she stripped of his shirt and threw it towards him. "There, how bout that for being sensitive..." She ranted as she placed her hands behind her and began to unhook her bra. 

"Usa you don't have to-"

"And here!" She exclaimed as she threw her bra at him. "Here's that for being sensitive...and-" She continued angrily as she gripped the hooks for her underwear and pulled down forcefully. "And here! Here! Are you happy now Mamoru?" She yelled as she threw her underwear at him. She crossed her arms over her chest, staring at him with fire in her eyes. He attempted to stare her down in equal measure, but his eyes could not help but stray elsewhere. She stood there stubbornly for but a few moments more before she followed his eyes. And for the first time since she discarded everything so fiercely, she realized one truth; she was nude.

She flushed in embarrassment as she tried to cover herself from her boyfriend's heated gaze. Suddenly she felt so vulnerable; she had born all for him to see, not just her body, but her eyes showed just how scared she was. And when that first tear coursed down her cheeks he was at her side, one hand gently yet firmly grasping her waist, the other cupping her cheek. With his thumb he gently wiped her face, a passionate longing in his eyes.

"You don't have to be ashamed...you...are so...beautiful." He planted a kiss near her ear. "The most beautiful thing in the world." His lips trailed all over her face before catching her own; he was lost in a moment, when her whimper interrupted him.

"Mamo-chan..." 

"Usa..." The sounds of clothing fluttering to the ground made her shiver; she dare not look down to be sure.

She put her hands to his chest.

"What are you afraid of?"

"Are you serious or are you just plain stupid?" She cried out to him with daring eyes.****

** **

"Usa, I don't see why we have to ignore our feelings...I mean, I love you, and you love me...we know we are going to spend the rest of our lives together...so what if the rest of our lives begins and changes now, we're both old enough to make a decision in our lives..."

"Damnit Mamo-chan...it's because I am not ready to face the possible consequences...it's because I could get pregnant...that's why!" She cried out to him, crossing her arms and turning away. It was silent for a while before he spoke once more.

"I am such a jerk...I didn't even think-...I'm practically turning into the man I despise...sitting here pressuring you to...I am such a baka...I" 

"You're not-" She sighed. "No wait, I take that back!" She turned to him in fury and pointed her index finger hard at his chest. "It was your stupid idea not to bring condoms in the first place!" She accused.

"Are you trying to tell me-"

"I know I'm what one would consider an innocent, but I'm not naive! I purposely feigned sleep last night because I couldn't handle you being so close to me...so close..." Her voice faded in the end as she shut her eyes. "I know how you must feel... and I can't help...I just...I want you so much." She resolved to the truth as she opened her eyes, the tears coming off more as floods.

"What about the crystal?" He suddenly asked as he placed his hand on her cheek once more to wipe the tears.

"I-I don't know...I never used it for that before."

"What if we tried?" He asked her.

***

"How will we be sure...what if the glow meant nothing, what if it doesn't work?"

"We won't be sure...that's why...it's your call." 

It was silent for a time as they both stared into each other's eyes; and then with fervent longing never leaving his gaze, she slowly descended to the ground beneath her and onto the soft plush rug before extending her arm out to him in invitation. He let out the breath he had not known he was holding before taking her hand in his own and allowing her to bring him down towards her. Unsure, he lay beside her as she slid her fingers up his bare chest until they were at the back his head; she leaned up and pulled his lips down to hers, and they kissed passionately for a time that seemed to lull like the sea before she released him breathlessly.

"Are you sure?" He asked timidly, his chest moving in controlled movements.

She nodded, biting the side of her lip as she slowly layback once more, an open petition for him to have her completely.

They made love through night, taking things slowly as they explored new worlds; and for the rest of the week, not a soul stepped outside of the cabin.

~*~

A month later...

He sighed as he looked at the ring in the glass case, his thoughts directed towards Usagi. Something was wrong, but he didn't know what it was. Every time he tried to descry some time to be alone with her, she had always given him an excuse. Now he feared they were drifting apart, something he could not allow to happen. He couldn't lie to himself either, he needed more from her now than just conversation; they hadn't made love since that time at the cabin. 

He was yearning for her: in soul, mind, and body.

Her 17th birthday was coming up and the girls were throwing her a party

at the temple; later that night, he had plans for her as well. They were

going to talk this through, and he wouldn't let her go until they had

done so.

"Did you find what you were looking for sir?"A woman asked as she

approached him.

"Yes, I want that one," he replied as he pointed to the diamond surrounded by golden-yellow citrine quartz stones and set on a white gold band.

~*~

Mamoru watched pensively as she was down to the last gift, his. He

gauged her reactions as she slowly handled the medium-sized box, being

careful not to rip the pretty wrapping.

Usako had easily put up a front for everyone else there, giving

them a delightful smile whenever it was deemed necessary, but he could

tell that it was a lie, for her eyes were hollow. Everyone has assumed

that everything between them was fine, for they had actedhappyin

their presence, but little did they know that their relationship was

hanging on a thin thread. He wasn't sure if their relationship was at a

point where he could give her his gift, but he also didn't want to lose

her.

He needed some assurance that he wasn't losing her. What's more, he needed a way to show her that he wanted her to be a part of his life forever.

She lightly lifted the top of the box to see another small box within.

Her heart stilled as she opened that one only to find another even small

box. The smaller box was different from the first two however, it's

velvet casing a symbol of something new. Everyone around them looked on

in wonder as they held their breaths; but for the two of them, they were

the only ones there. She looked up with tears in her eyes at him to see

that he was now kneeling in front of her, tears in his eyes as well. She

lifted the lid of the velvet box and looked at it.

"Usako...you're my love, my life...my one and only...will you marry me?"

he asked her pensively.

Motoki held Minako tightly, and she hugged him back with tears of

happiness for her friend in her eyes.

Ami held her breath as Urawa held her close.

Rei just starred at Usagi from her position in Yuuchirou's arms as if

she had grown two heads, wondering why it was taking so long for her to

respond.

Makoto dug her nails into Shinozaki's arms, causing him to wince in

pain.

"I-I..." Usagi stuttered as she fought to let the words she thought

should have been embedded in her mind out. "I...I don't know." She

finally let out with tears in her eyes. Involuntarily, the sounds of

gasps echoed around the room before Usagi dropped the box and ran out of

the temple leaving Mamoru starring at the spot she had just vacated.

"What are you waiting for you baka," Motoki scolded him. "Go get

her!" He commanded. 

His mind became a sudden haze as visions flooded his head.

"You're an idiot for letting her go Mamoru." 

"I promise you that this is not a dream...it will not end with me telling you to stay away from her." 

"A necessary precaution...I know you Mamoru, and unless I do this you won't stay behind to listen to me." 

"Listen to Motoki." 

It was then that Mamoru finally understood. That day so long ago, when he had exchanged 'words' so 'lightly' with Endymion, when he had warned him with simple instructions...it was all so clear to him now. This was the moment in which he was meant to heed his own warnings.

Mamoru slowly stood with determination, barely forded a glance their way, before picking up the ring and running out of there after her.

***

She was almost to the bottom of the steps when he called out to her.

"Usako, wait!" he exclaimed, halting her in her steps as he ran to

reach for her. He barely grasped her wrists before she attempted to walk

away.

"Chiba Mamoru please...I need some time...to think," she replied

to him as she forded a look his way.

She called him by his full name.

It hurt him like nothing before.

"Look...I-I didn't say no."

"But you didn't say yes...what-what did I do wrong?"

"I just need some time to think..." she replied with a pleading look.

Wearily, he began to let her hand slip through his fingers, the gesture

symbolic of so much more.

He would let her go.

...and it will not end with me telling you to stay away from her." 

Hearing the words filtering through his head gave him the courage he needed to see this through to the end.

"No!" he said firmly.

"W-what?" she asked incredulously.

"I said...no," he replied firmly as he hoisted her up in the air and

over his shoulder before walking towards his car.

"Put me down!" she screamed from over his shoulder.

"No!" he called out as he pulled his keys out and opened the door. "We

are going to discuss this Usagi!"

"Mamoru!" she exclaimed as he opened the door and placed her in the

passenger seat before closing the door and locking it.

~*~

It was not until they reached his apartment, did he finally put her

down. Steamed, she walked in, and was surprised to see the room

decorated with roses and candlelight, a table for two sat in the midst, the smell of warm food assaulting her senses. The shock came for but only an

moment before she walked passed it all and onto the balcony for some fresh

air; moments later, he joined her.

"Do you mind telling me what's on your mind?" he asked as he clutched the railing.

"Yes," she replied firmly.

"Usa...I don't get it...what happened to us?" He lamented.

"Nothing...nothing's changed." She held her unemotional stance.

"Something happened to us...why are you so far away from me?"

"I'm not...I'm right here." 

"You may be physically, but your soul is so far away that I can barely feel you...it's like you put up this wall between us...I-I...I don't know how to talk to you anymore...I don't know what to do to get through to you."

"If you feel this way, why don't you go find someone else...you-you deserve someone else." She ended softly.

"What are you talking about? Damnit Usako! I want you...you're what I want...and truth be told, after all we've been through, I don't deserve 'you'."

"You don't know what you're saying-" She was crying now.

"Whatever you're not telling me Usa...please, just don't let it do this to us...I-"

"There's much you don't know about me...I'm such a bad person Mamo-chan-"

"Just tell me." 

Silence.

"Usa-"

Silence.

"Please...love...let me in." She looked unseeingly at the view before her, her lips forming the words of confession.

"I went to the doctor after...sometime after we came back...and...she told me I...she told me that I...that I was pregnant." 

"Was?" He croaked.

"I-I had a miscarriage..."

"Oh Usa...that doesn't make you-"

"I'm not finished." She lamented as she turned away from him, her eyes water-filled, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "She told me that she couldn't see why I had a miscarriage...I didn't-I didn't do anything wrong...so why did the baby die..."

"I don't understand....Usa, you can't blame yourself for this-" Suddenly understanding where the hurt was coming from.

"You don't understand...it-it's all my fault." She cried.

"How could it be your fault?" He asked as he approached her and touched her back slightly. 

She shrugged him off.

"I never had a chance to tell you this before...when we were together

again...it was but for a few fleeting moments before the attack on the moon so...so I never got a chance to tell you that...that-"

"You were pregnant then too." He finished for her. She nodded her head softly. "But Usa...there's still isn't any reason why you should-"

"Don't you see!" She cried out. "It is my fault! I committed seppuku with the same baby inside of me! All I was thinking of was myself and how everyone was dying and how I didn't want to live any longer! I took the choice of life away from him...If I hadn't...if I would have just fought it out...he would be alive today! He wouldn't have died...he wouldn't have..."

"Oh Usa..." Crystalline tears fell from his eyes as he held her from behind, despite her protests. "You didn't know love...you didn't know, don't blame this on yourself..."

"The crystal didn't work back then either...why couldn't I remember that sooner, I'm such a baka...I-I didn't remember until the following week when I had a dream of our past...so-so I finally mustered enough courage to go to the doctor...and that's when she told me." He turned her around and pulled her into his arms despite her protests. "You don't deserve a killer for a lover..." She cried bitterly.

"No!" he interrupted her with fire in his eyes. "Don't ever let me

hear you speak that way...I want you. I love you!We were in the midst of a war...you did the only thing you could-"

"But if I had not, it would have been reborn like me...don't you see I-"

He silenced her with a kiss.

"Don't turn away from me...I need you so much Usako," he pleaded, taking her silence as reluctance. "Baby I need you so, so much." He cried as he fell to the ground before her and hugged her waist. "Please don't leave me...oh please don't leave me...I'm begging you...I'm nothing without you...I need you so much...I love you so much...please don't do this to yourself, don't do this to us...PLEASE." He cried bitterly into the cloth of her dress. Without warning he felt her fall before him, holding his head to her chest in a comforting manor.

"I would never leave you...Mamo-chan," she replied. "If I lost my

heart, how could I live on?" She was racked with sobs. "I just...I

don't know if I can do this anymore..." She cried.

"Usako,"He began through passionate eyes. "Forget about everything else...think about what is in here." He paused as he took her palm and placed it on her heart. "And in here." He took her hand and placed it on his own chest. "And remember what it was like when we were one...no pain..." He paused as she arched her brow at him. "OK, maybe a little pain." He smiled before becoming serious once more. "But don't forget what it felt like when we came together in that one powerful moment, when you couldn't tell where you ended and I began...when all was lost but the feeling of our hearts and our love...wouldn't you want in the future to create such love again?"His eyes searched for hers. 

She closed her eyes as she placed his hand on her cheek and remembered.

He patiently waited for a while before she answered.

"Yes," she replied while nodding her head and opening her eyes. "Yes

Mamo-chan, I do."

"Oh Usa, I thought I-" He began as he let out the breath he had been holding. 

"Just kiss me," She commanded and he willingly complied.

"By the way," she began as she placed her forehead against his own,

her breaths coming out in gasps, "when I said yes...I meant yes,

I'll marry you." She smiled. He looked up at her incredulously.

"You mean it?" he asked her with a grin.

"Of course I do silly...so, where's my ring?" she replied with a giggle as he searched his pockets for the box he had picked up when she discarded it earlier, lifted the lid, and pulled the ring out. She held out her hand as he nervously placed it on her finger.

"It looks really good on you," he said softly with a smile.

"Of course it does. I'll look good in anything."

"But I think you look best with nothing," He replied huskily, causing

her to giggle, before closing the gap between them.

~*~

The next morning...

She rubbed her eyes as she awoke to the smell of bacon and eggs. She smiled; things were going to work out after all. Sitting up quietly, she stretched her arms out wide with a great yawn just as he walked in through the bedroom doors. 

"Mornin' sleepy head."

"Morning..." She replied dazedly. "What time is it?"

"Twelve."

"It's too early." She sighed as she allowed herself to fall back onto the bed. "Wake me up in three hours kay?"

"But I made breakfast..." He taunted.

"I know...I can smell it...but for some reason I'm too tired to even eat."

"Uh...sorry about that...about last night that is."

"Huh?"

"You're not sore are you...I mean...I guess perhaps, I was too...uh-" He blushed. "Excited?"

"Oh no! Mamo-chan...it's ok, that was fine...I uh-liked it." She flushed inwardly when she thought about how their late night dinner ended up on the floor...as well as many other pieces of furniture. "I mean-I...it was really...really good."

"Just really, really good?" She scratched the back of her head.

"No...better than that...I mean..." She flushed as she fought for the right word.

"That's not what you said last night." He teased.

"Uh...what did...what did I say?" She asked innocently as she attempted to remember; truth of the matter was, she barely remembered any words; everything was so jumbled.

"I think your exact phrasing was" He cleared his throat for emphasis. "Mamo-chan har-omph" He began in a high-pitched voice.

She successfully hit him with a pillow.

He successfully caught it, and was about to comment when the girls burst in. 

"What the hell?" Was his first response.

"Usa are you ok?" Rei asked flustered.

"I'm fine, what are you guys doing here?"

"Youdidn'tcallsowewereworriedAndthenwhennooneansweredthephoneherewethoughtsomethinghappenedsowecamerightover.Whenwegotherenooneansweredthedoorsowethoughtsomethingandwebustedrightintosaveyoujusttofindthat-" Minako stopped mid-sentence as she and the other girls glanced at the way Usagi held the sheet protectively to her chest, they all then turned to Mamoru who was only adorning a pair of black silk boxers on. 

"Uh...what's going on here?" Makoto asked. Ami stepped up from the back, shaking her head back and forth.

"I was trying to tell you guys that when you busted in here." She sighed. "Didn't you bakas see the table set for two, and the roses all over the place? Or even the smell of breakfast on the stove??"

"Well you see"

"The thing is"

"Usa-chan, I want details!" Minako boldly queried as she plopped on the bed before her.

"Hello? I'm still here!" Mamoru parried in an annoying manner.

"Oh, I'm sorry...could you step out for a moment so that we could talk to"

"No I can not!" He roared.

"Jeez, who woke you up on the wrong side of the bed?" 

"Minako!!" Makoto and Rei screamed. 

Ami only bowed her head with her face in her hands.

"I am going to go and get breakfast for ME and USAGI, I want the four of you out by the time I get back!" He finished as he began to turn and leave.

"Minako, I can not believe that you would think that I would share such a private and personal moment" She paused when Mamoru left the room completely and was out of earshot. "Tomorrow at the temple okay?"

"Gotcha." Minako gave her a thumbs up sign.

Makoto and Rei sighed.

Ami continued to bow her head in shame.

"I AM SO SORRY USA_CHAN," Minako exclaimed loudly for Mamoru's ears. "HOW COULD I EXPECT YOU TO TELL ME SUCH A PERSONAL THING!" She paused for a moment so that she could laugh. "I AM SO ASHAMED!" She ended dramatically.

Mamoru entered the room with a disgruntled look.

"You're still here." He placed the tray on the dresser near the bed.

"Uh...we're gone!" Minako exclaimed in a bubbly manner as she bounced out the room. "Don't worry...we'll leave you two crazy lovebirds alone."

"We are so sorry." Ami apologized as she walked out.

"'Someone' forgot to feed Minako this morning." Rei looked angrily at Makoto.

"Sorry?" She smiled half-heartedly with an apologetic look whilst throwing her hands in the air. "Hey wait a minute! You forgot to walk her!" She suddenly changed her demeanor as they walked out the room.

"It was 'your' turn!" Their voices got softer and softer to the remaining occupants of the bedroom as they got closer to the front door.

"It was not!"

"Yes it was!"

"Wait a minute...it was Ami's turn!" Makoto suddenly turned to their friend who was standing at the door looking at them with a puzzled look.

"Ami!" Were the last words they heard before the door slammed behind them. It was silent for a while before someone finally spoke.

"You guys walk Minako?"

"It's a long story." She smiled as she patted the spot on the bed next to her in invitation. He padded over to the bed and sat next to her, afterwards bringing the tray from the dresser to a spot between them. They each took a fork and began to silently feed each other when she broached a subject that had been on her mind before.

"I wonder...with everything happening...I didn't get to ask you what you felt about this...about-about losing the baby." She spoke the words; they left her lips so softly he could barely catch them.

"I have to say that I was very shocked when you told me...and I can't say that I'm over it yet...the idea of losing something that we made in love...a part of us...but...but I know that eventually we'll both be through it together." He placed the fork down and snaked his hand into her own, gripping it tightly with a reassuring squeeze. "It was a chaotic time back then, you had to see all your friends die, then see me die...you did what you thought was honorable...how would you have known that you would have been reborn?" He lifted her chin to face him. "How much longer do you think you would have lived if you had not performed seppuku anyway? I don't think you could have stopped this from happening, if you had not taken by your own hand, do you not think then that Beryl would have?"

"Perhaps you're right..."

"Of course I am, you did what you thought was best at the time."

"Why do you always have to be right?"

"Cause that's just the way it is." He smiled.

"Mamo-chan...I don't think we should get married just yet," she said to him with a searching gaze.

"Silly rabbit," Mamoru replied while kissing her forehead. "Of course

we aren't going to get married right away." He paused. "Daddy lawful

would shoot my head off if I whisked you away before you even had a

chance to complete high school...heck, he'd shoot off my genitalia if he

found out I was here in bed with you." He chuckled. "So here's what

we'll do, after you turn eighteen, and after you graduate, we will

formally announce our engagement...and a year after that we'll get

married." 

"Do you have everything planned out in that head of yours?"She asked

him with a smile.

"But of course."

"And what about the ring silly?"

"Well, until you turn eighteen, as far as your father is concerned, it's

just a promise ring...a promise that I'll come back to you...and a sign

of possession." He paused huskily. "You belong to me and no one else."

"You say that sweetest things," she replied before planting a kiss on his nose.

"I have one question to ask you." He queried thoughtfully.

"Yeah?"

"What do you think about me and purple hair?" He asked as he moved so that he loomed over her.

"Purple hair?" She quirked her eyebrow in response.

"Yeah...do you think I would look sexy with purple hair?"

"Gods no Mamo-chan." She shrieked. "What's with you and these fixations with ugly mixes...first the green jacket and now this?"

"Well..." He sighed.

"But you know." She became thoughtful. "You would look nice in a lavender shade." She giggled as she placed her two hands on his face, one on each cheek.

"Why you little...I am not gonna let that little remark slide!"

"And what are you going to do about it?" was her playful response. 

"This," was his short reply as he leaned down to kiss her fully on the lips, ending all conversation.

The end!

Thanx to Sakura, Minako, and Daphnium who are my beta readers for helping me with this fic! And to all my fans, thanx a bunch for the encouragement!!


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